Electrophysiology Procedures
A pacemaker is a battery-operated device that helps maintain a normal heart rhythm. It sends electrical signals to the heart to stimulate contracting or pumping of the heart muscle. It is designed specifically for patients who have irregular or very slow heart rates and symptoms of fainting or fatigue.The rate is set by the doctor. The pacemaker generator is placed under the skin on the chest wall below the collarbone. It contains a battery and wires(leads) which are positioned inside the heart and transmit the signal from the battery to the heart thus causing the contracting.
An implantable cardiovertor defibrillator system or implantable cardiac devices (ICD), is a small electronic device that monitors heart rhythm and delivers a shock to correct a potentially fatal heart rhythm if it should occur. The generator is surgically implanted beneath the skin and muscle beneath the collarbone. Wire electrodes attach the pulse generator to the heart. Some of the wires are inserted through veins into the inside of the heart and can sense the heartbeat. Other wires may be attached directly to the heart. These wires are used to deliver the shock, if necessary, which converts the heart back to its normal rhythm.
Ablation targets a portion of the heart muscle and actually destroys a small section of the muscle tissue. These areas are carefully chosen by your doctor. During a catherization procedure, your doctor delivers small amounts of energy to these areas. This makes a helpful scar on the heart muscle. In some cases, when ablation is done in certain parts of the heart, you may still need a pacemake afterwards.
Electrophysiology testing makes it possible to study heart rhythm disturbances under controlled conditions. By using special insulated wires called catheters, your doctor is able to identify the rhythm disturbance and choose the best treatment method. The procedure is performed in the cath lab. It involves inserting thin plastic catheters into the large blood vessels in your groin and arm, then guiding them to the heart with the help of a special X-ray machine. When the catheters are in place in your heart, a doctor who specializes in electrophysiology will stimulate the heart artificially with electrical impulses delivered through the catheters. Your doctor will watch the heart's reaction to determine the extent of rhythm disturbance.
A BiVentricular Device is a computerized device implanted in the chest wall. It detects and generates electrical impulses through leads placed on or in the heart that sense a cardiac disturbance such as the onset of heart failure, tachycardia and or fibrillation. It has all the features normally included in pacemakers and defibrillators, but it's primary purpose is to assist in the management of heart failure.
